Merry Christmas
by Tess 4 5
Summary: Lynley and Havers go to Howenstow for Christmas. A short story. Not suitable for children. Believe me.
1. Not on Boxing Day

Author's note: I don't own any of the characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC.

Review and comment, but please keep in mind that I'm no native speaker. If I did something terribly wrong (rating, grammar, spelling...), please let me know. Thanks!

This is a story I wrote on the evening of Christmas Day. I wrote it right off the cuff. It's simple. And a little… smut.

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"You have two options." that's what Thomas said in his office. "You can sit here, do the paperwork and drink your wassail bowle alone at home…"

"Or?" Barbara raised an eyebrow.

"Or you can have a few days off and you'll come with me to Cornwall."

He paused.

"Cornwall?"

"Yes."

"To your family?"

"Yes."

"I don't think it's a good idea, Sir."

"You can do the paperwork, if you prefer that."

"I don't!"

"What?"

"Both, I think. I don't prefer the paperwork and I don't think it's a good idea to join your family on Christmas. Sir."

"They would really enjoy seeing you again, Barbara. What are you afraid of?"

"I don't fit in. Especially not on days like Christmas. You know that."

"No, I don't. And I don't agree."

Barbara shrugged.

"I just don't see me sitting in that old huge room by the fireside, sipping on a cocktail, doing smalltalk."

"You know, that's not how we usually spend our Christmasses. We're an ordinary family. We chat, we eat, we argue with each other. And only on Boxing Day my mother will give a little party for some friends. You don't have to take part in that if you don't want."

Again Barbara shrugged.

"I think it's not yet time for Christmas."

"It's in two days." Thomas chuckled.

"You know what I mean."

"I would like you to come with me, Barbara."

"Not on Boxing Day."

"We can make a lovely overnight trip to St. Ives on Boxing Day."

"And at the rest of time at Howenstow we pretend as if nothing had happened?"

"We can snog all the time, if you prefer that." Thomas smirked.

"It's not the time yet."

"To snog the whole day?" Again he smirked.

"You don't take me seriously, Thomas."

"Yes, I do."

In the end Barbara very much prefered the few days off and decided to join Thomas.

"I'll come with you."

"That's wonderful."

"But not on Boxing Day!"

"Yes, not on Boxing Day."


	2. Dance with me

They arrived early in the evening. It was not as awkward as she thought it would be. In the end they really were a normal family with normal problems and normal behaviour - that is to say apart from that huge house, the horses and the expensive cars. Not to mention the servants. But all of the family gave her a warm welcome. Even the grumpy old Lady, like Thomas used to call his mother's Labrador Dolly, wagged her tail.

Being unaware of their kiss and the declaration her son made seven days before, his mother prepared a guest room for Barbara. They had decided to keep it a secret for a while anyway. A relationship between the DI and his DS would create so much problems in the office it could have probably killed that relation right in the very beginning. Regardless of that decision they've had far too much to do on the job so they hadn't but kissed a few times when nobody could see them and always spent their nights in their own beds.

Without a comment Barbara took her bag in her room. The pleading look in Thomas' eyes was answered with a barely noticable shake of Barbaras head. So he decided to keep it a secret as long as Barbara wished.

There was only a short time to prepare for dinner and that's when the whole family met: Lady Asherton herself, Peter, his girlfriend Emily, Judith, her daughter and Frederick, a good old friend of the family. After dinner they all went into the living room and indeed sat there by the crackling fire, some quiet music playing in the background and they had a drink or two. Thomas and Barbara didn't touch but just changed some hidden glances or some secret smiles. They even successfully avoided the mistletoes. They all had a nice conversation so the evening passed by in no time. One by one they all went to sleep.

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Eventually there were only Thomas and Barbara left in the room. He raked through the dying fire and stood up.

"Dance with me, Barbara."

"What? Now?"

Thomas nodded smiling. He took her glass and put it on the table. He held out an invitating hand for her. Barbara blushed but took it. He led her the few steps away from the settee, turned to her and put his arms around her.

The dancing distance she maintained was soon closed by his arms pulling her closer to him. He held her hand close to his body.

Barbara leant her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. She closed her eyes.

Thomas stroke her arm gently with his fingertips from her wrist down to her elbow leaving her hand flatly laying on his chest and then he put his hand on her hip. He bent down to her neck and kissed it lightly. Then he traced kisses on her shoulder to the collar of her blouse and back.

The music stopped but they still swayed.

Barbara craned her neck and turned her forehead to his chest to give him more access to her skin. She buried her nose in his halfopened shirt. She hardly dared to breathe.

He kissed her earlobe and nibbled at it. Then he nuzzled in her hair above the ear.

"You smell auspicious." he whispered.

It sent shivers down her spine. He pulled her a little closer and brushed her cheeks with his lips. Barbara looked up to him, smiling coyly.

They shared a deep look. His eyes darkened. She lifted her face.

He slowly bent down to kiss her and she closed her eyes again. She let her hands wander behind his head and dug them in his hair. She moved her hip a little closer.

His hands gripped her bottom and he pulled her flush.

They weren't swaying anymore. Not in the dancing way.

He nibbled on her lower lip. Then she bit him slightly in his upper lip. She opened her mouth and teased him with the tip of her tongue.

He demanded access and was allowed to enter her mouth. Their tongues twined and fought a fight neither of them wanted to win.

When they broke the kiss both were out of breath.

"It's late." he whispered and kissed her again.

Thousands of butterflies tickled in her belly. She was very much aware of what undoubtedly would follow now. He took her hand and led her out of the room. His husky voice was very low.

"You don't have to disarrange your linen."


	3. Christmas Night

At the foot of the stairs he turned her to face him and kissed her again.

On the first landing he pushed her gently against the wall and manifested his intention. She could feel his desire pressing against her.

They went up the rest of the stairs. In the doorframe to his bedroom he stopped once more and kissed her again. The kisses had become more and more intense the higher they've climbed the stairs. Now it was pure lust vibrating between them.

He opened the door and they nearly fell into the room.

Inside he started to unbutton her blouse. She did the same with his shirt and unbreaking the kiss she fumbled at his belt. Seconds later he got rid of his trousers and knickers by himself. In that same time she opened her bra.

Her nipples hardened. His arousal couldn't be denied either.

Without touching they stood in front of each other for a wink or two. Not a full inch space was between them. He took her hand. Then skin touched skin.

He leaned in for a ravenous kiss. He pressed her against the dresser they were standing at.

His lips moved from her mouth to her neck then further down to her breasts. The tip of his tongue left moist circles around her nipples. Then Thomas slowly got down on his knees by kissing the way to her belly.

Barbaras eyes were closed. She laid her hands on his shoulders and tilted her head back.

"Oh dear." she sighed lustful. Then his mouth wandered even lower.

"Hmmm." he mumbled.

"Are you…?" she started a question but weren't able to finish it.

"Mhm." was his answer when his tongue finally finished its journey.

Barbara fiercly clasped her fingers in his hair. She had to pull herself together not to press his head against her private parts.

"No, Thomas!" she gasped out.

"Oh yes, Barbara!" he grinned down there.

She longed for his full length inside her so she pulled his head upwards again and he stood up. They kissed again. She clasped his waist and pulled him close to her. She started to move her hips to enhance the friction. She urged him decidedly in the direction of his bed.

He freely gave in to this order and turned their grinding bodies so that he was now pushing her again. He lowered her on the bed. He didn't care to remove the bedspread first.

Barbara slid to the middle of the bed and Thomas crawled after her. He growled like a tiger and lecherously he bit her in the crook of her neck. His fingers touched her body wherever they could reach.

She spread her legs and he positioned himself between her thighs.

They exchange a longing look in which there laid the question if and the answer that this is what they both wanted to happen right now. So he pressed her deeper in the mattress. Their hips were rocking against and with each other. She urgently wanted him inside her.

"Right now!" Barbara ordered.

"Oh, yes, M'am." Thomas obeyed.

She groaned with pleasure when he slid into her. Barbara tilted her head back and Thomas placed kisses on her breast and on her belly. After both had positioned themselves he started to dig deeper with every thrust he made. She twisted her legs around his. Their heavy breathing turned into quiet moans. The rhythm of their rocking went frantic. Their quiet moans turned into louder groans. Thomas held his fire to give Barbara as much pleasure as he could. But he couldn't hold it very much longer. So couldn't she.

"I couldn't…" he started apologetic.

"Don't!" she interrupted him impatiently.

So he let loose and rocked even deeper. One more thrust and both came off together. He roared with lust when she arched against him in ecstasis.

"Oh, Tom!" she moaned out loud.


	4. Briefed

Eventually deep in the night she woke up. They still lay on top of the sheets and it was getting colder even though they were still intertwined. Her stirring woke him up and they shared a kiss. Then they crawled under the covers and went back to sleep.

In the morning Barbara felt his fingers caress her side.

She opened up her eyes and turned to him.

"Good morning, Havers." he whimsically smiled.

"Morning, Sir." she mumbled still half asleep.

He came closer and kissed her.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Like I haven't in a long time."

She kissed him.

"I want to rock you to sleep again, Barbara."

"Won't they miss us at breakfast?"

"No. We didn't close the door, I think everybody is briefed now."

"Oh, bloody shit!" Barbara cursed.

Thomas laughed.

"I've closed it now, so we can make some noise again."

"Thomas!" Barbara blushed deeply. She suddenly was aware of his naked body touching hers.

He pulled her hips against his recent arousal. Breakfast was forgotten. An erotic hour later they woke up again.

"Let them miss us at lunch." he suggested flippantly.

"Oh no, I'm really hungry now, let's get up and face the family."

He sighed and tenderly kissed her.

"Alright then. By the way – merry christmas."

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Sorry, but this is what comes to my mind when my boy is not at home on Christmas Day's evening and I stare into the fire alone. **I wish you all a Merry Christmas** and will now go and unwrap _my_ gift. ;-D


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